Is a home truly a home without a good armchair? In the opinion of H&G the answer is a very definite no. Who doesn’t want their special chair in the corner of the room that is for use by them and them alone? A place to while away the hours reading a good book. So we felt duty bound to bring you Arlo & Jacob’s two new armchair designs.

Any design lover who lives in or near London should know about Aram Store, a mecca in Covent Garden for high-end contemporary furniture and accessories. Understandably, products by Scandinavian designers always form a key part of its collection, but for March 2015 Danish design takes an even greater prominence. Aram has partnered with five Danish brands – Carl Hansen & Son, Montana, Fritz Hansen, Louis Poulsen and Fredericia – to offer customers fantastic discounts alongside in-store workshops and activities.

The four-day-long Easter weekend offers the perfect opportunity for a mini break, either with the family or à deux. We have brought together our favourite properties, mostly in the UK although we have also included a couple in easy reach in Europe. From city breaks to foodie bolt holes, we hope there will be something here to inspire your travels.

With the advent of March, the few hours of fine sunshine this weekend and the first signs of blossom on trees, we are already dreaming of opening our doors for long evenings. Stunning fittings and a clever layout ensure this modern kitchen works for the family, while expanses of glass make the most of its connection with the garden. We interview kitchen designer Maria Pennington, from Roundhouse, to hear about the scheme…

Whilst on my way in the pouring rain to a photography shoot in central London this week, I counted six camellia trees of varying sizes and planted in front gardens, guarding front gates, scrambling up and over walls, and all in full, glorious colour. I was tempted to stop and pick up one of the deep pink double flowers that had fallen to the ground, to take it home to enjoy before it completely shrivelled and died. I didn’t, but the sight of the huge flowers gleaming like pomegranate seeds from amid the deep green-leaved branches, cheered me and reminded me that spring is around the corner.

Starting with the scented Camellia sasanqua in autumn and climaxing with the spring-flowering Camellia japonica, the camellia provides the garden with a raiment of colour that can start in the autumn, grow through the darkest months of the year and all the way on into spring. With some 250 named varieties to choose from, the species offers a delectable variety of form and colours, from deep red and shocking pink to creams and bright whites.

Finally, spring is stirring properly, throwing up new green leaves and shoots to use in abundant handfuls. Of course, our leafy greens (watercress, chard, spinach, pea shoots…) make fantastic side salads, but it’s far more interesting to think outside the box. Alice Hart sees in the season folding pea shoots into a light and fresh brown shrimp risotto. Make sure you use good-quality stock for this risotto, whether homemade or shop bought, as it will make all the difference to the results.

Following a two-part, £10 million restoration, Horace Walpole’s 18th-century gothic villa, considered to be Britain’s finest example of gothic revival architecture, will reopen to the public this Sunday 1st March.

The celebrity home of its day, Strawberry Hill was transformed from modest Twickenham house to “my very own little gothic castle” by Horace Walpole, one of the most influential writers, collectors and historians of the 1700s and youngest son of Britain’s first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.

Form and function combine in our selection of stylish ideas for kitchen splashbacks. Whatever the style of your room, there will be a solution that will enhance the look of your room, from a minimal glass panel through to decorative vintage tiles. Be inspired by this edit of looks for your kitchen…

Online furniture retailer Swoon Editions is opening its very first retail space in London on 2 March. For one week only, The Swoon Pop-up will showcase a curated selection of more than 40 of the company’s most popular pieces, as well as a limited-edition range designed in collaboration with some of the UK’s leading textile talent: Emily Humphrey, Michelle Mason and Claire Gaudion. In addition, there will be exclusive promotions all week, plus the chance to win a living room makeover and up to £1,500 worth of products.

It is with great excitement that we reveal this year’s winners of the Homes & Gardens Designer Awards 2015. The event took place at the British Museum in London, and the evening was opened with a key note speech by the inspiring Deyan Sudjic, who shared his views on the future of design and special insight into the new Design Museum that will be opening soon in Kensington.

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